Hidden Talents
by B.M. Gang
Summary: Principal Nakamora has announced a Talent Show at the Children's school... UPDATE - Chapter 2 up and running!!!
1. First Movement

"All rise." The voice of Hikari Horaki, the Class Rep for Class 2-A called out from her spot in the second row. The class did as ordered, a response that had been built into them from when they were first in school. "Bow," she ordered next, and the class did as ordered. "Sit." she finally ordered and the class took their places for another day of lectures on Second Impact.  
  
"Today." The teacher began, moving behind his desk, "The principal will be speaking with you." he said, sitting behind his desk. "He should be here any minute now."  
  
The door swung open slowly and a young man with lightly graying black hair walked in. It was Principal Nakamora.  
  
"All rise." A surprised Hikari called out as the principal entered, and the class shot up to attention.  
  
"There's no need for that." Nakamora said as he closed the door behind him.  
  
"But sir." A slightly flustered Hikari sputtered out, startled by the informal manner that the Principal was acting in. "We have to show respect to your position."  
  
"Don't worry, Ms. Horaki, this one time won't hurt us any, now will it?" Nakamora replied, drawing the laughter of some of the other students, but the embarrassment of Hikari. "Now, you can all sit and relax, I have an announcement to make." he continued, walking over and leaning against the desk.  
  
"Now, in times like these, there is much sadness and anguish to go around. However, it is my opinion that we can do something to keep this from eating away at our souls." The principal continued, walking up the first aisle. "I propose that the school should put on a talent show to highlight your talents and to liven the spirits of the entire school."  
  
At that, chatter began amongst the students. For them, a talent show would be a welcome change from the constant running and hiding from the terrors of the war with the angels. It would be a good change of pace.  
  
"Come on everybody, settle down!" Hikari said, standing up. The class quickly did as ordered, drawing a light chuckle from Mr. Nakamora.  
  
"It's alright Ms. Horaki," He said as he made it back to the front of the room. "The Talent Show will be in three weeks. I expect to see you all there." He stated as he turned for the door. "Have a nice day." With that, he left, and the class once again descended into unruly chatter.  
  
"Ahem." The teacher cleared his throat, standing up from his desk. He glared at Hikari who sat there shaking her head. As soon as he caught her eyes, Hikari quickly shot back to her feet, confident that she would be vindicated this time.  
  
"Everyone be quiet! You can discuss this at lunch." she said, and the class eventually settled down, taking their seats and quieting down. Hikari looked around the room, then sat down herself as the class directed its attention to the teacher.  
  
"Today, we'll be talking about the effects of Second Impact on."  
  
XXXX  
  
B-Lo Productions Presents "Hidden Talents: 1st Movement" By B.M. Gang  
  
XXXX  
  
The bells signifying the beginning of lunch chimed loudly through the school. Hikari stood and gave class 2-A the familiar orders that came at the beginning and end of class before they could be dismissed. The class could barely contain its excitement as it poured out of the room and into the hall.  
  
"So Hikari, what are you doing for the Talent Show?" Asuka asked, coming up from in front of her.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure. I'd feel a little weird about performing in front of the entire school, you know what I mean?" Hikari replied timidly.  
  
"Well, I'm more than happy to show the entire student body what a truly gifted performer can do." Asuka shot back in a smug, nonchalant manner.  
  
"So what are you going to do Asuka?" Hikari replied, walking out the door ahead of Asuka.  
  
"Well, I." Asuka said, trailing behind Hikari. She growled lightly under her breath, following behind her friend. "Whatever I do, it's going to be the best!" she shouted as she ran to catch up.  
  
Down in the courtyard, a similar conversation was going on between the three stooges.  
  
"I'm going to show everyone how athletically gifted I am." Touji said as he stuffed a rice ball into his mouth. "I men, mcha, I'm gawnna lift shum weights," he stopped, swallowing his food. "Maybe I'll put on a martial arts display," He stood and threw out some rapid punches. "Show everyone what it means to be the best athlete in the school." he finished a light smile on his face. "How about you Kensuke?"  
  
Kensuke looked up from his lunch for a second and shrugged. "I don't know maybe I'll just work the lights, or maybe the curtains." Kensuke said, putting up a finger, "You know, the show can't go on without a good crew." he said with a light laugh.  
  
"And what about you Shinji?" Touji asked, looking at the third stooge.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure. I can play the cello, but." Shinji started before being interrupted by his fellow stooges.  
  
"Wait a minute," Kensuke started, leaping up from his seat.  
  
"You play the cello?" Touji finished as he stood.  
  
"Well, yeah." Shinji answered an odd look on his face. "Why, is there something wrong with that?" Shinji finished looking from one friend to the other. They stood there in silence staring at Shinji for what seemed like forever before they burst out laughing. Shinji just shook his head. He knew no matter what he said about it, he couldn't win two against one. He simply resigned himself to being berated and ate his lunch.  
  
XXXX  
  
Shinji and Asuka left the school just as the final bell rang out. Asuka walked a few steps ahead of Shinji. They walked home in silence for a few seconds, a silence that was quickly shattered.  
  
"So Third Child, what are you doing for the Talent Show?" Asuka asked, turning to face Shinji and walking backwards, a smug, confident grin on her face.  
  
"Me?" Shinji asked out of a reflex action. "I'm not sure." he replied his eyes transfixed on the ground. "What about you Asuka?" he asked, looking up to his roommate.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure, but it's going to be great!" she replied, as confident as always. She turned around and continued to walk home. "What are your idiot friends doing?" she asked, as if trying to get inside information on her competition.  
  
"Well, Touji's doing some Karate exhibition, and I don't think that Kensuke is going to do anything. He doesn't really have any talent that I could recognize. He says he's going to be the crew or something." Shinji replied, his gaze lowering to the ground again, his voice even and unconcerned.  
  
"Hmph." Asuka responded. That won't be any competition for me.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
No one is any competition for me. I am Asuka Langley Sohryu, I am the best.  
  
"Asuka."  
  
I'm a sure thing to win, no matter what I'm going to do. No one can defeat Asuka Langley Sohryu. I am like a shining star for everyone else to strive towards. Of course I'll show up those.  
  
"Asuka!!!" Shinji shouted, prompting the Second Child to spin around with an angry scowl on her face.  
  
"What do you want dumkopf?" Asuka replied bitterly, her face red like her hair.  
  
"Well, you walked past the train station." Shinji replied quietly, worried not to make her more upset than she already was.  
  
"Baka, why didn't you tell me?" she replied, storming past Shinji and back up the staircase up to the train platform.  
  
To Be Continued. 


	2. Second Movement

Shinji sat quietly at the small desk in his room, doing his homework and listening to his SDAT. He was listening to some mid-twentieth century music from America. Currently it was Elvis Presley's "Fools Rush In" that was blaring in his ears. He sat, his body tense, working on physics problems.   
  
Suddenly, Shinji looked up from his work. He reached down for his SDAT and turned up the volume. He sat back from his desk, his mind racing. He gazed into space, his mind transfixed on what he was listening to, a smile slowly creeping onto his face.   
  
Shinji grasped for his SDAT again, rewinding to the beginning of the song. He looked around for a second, rummaging through the papers in his desk. After much searching, he finally found what he had been looking for: A package of staff paper. He tore the plastic wrapping off of the pile and cleared off his desk. Shinji had found his inspiration.   
  
And then, just as Shinji had found his muse and discovered what he needed to do, the door to his room shot open. Shinji turned quickly, putting his arm up over his face to protect him from the light of the room beyond. Soon, however, he found himself being dragged off of his seat and out into the hallway beyond his room.   
  
"Come on Shinji!" Asuka's voice called as she dragged him out and into the living area where she quickly threw him on the couch, barely missing Pen Pen who it appeared had been roused from his sleep by Asuka and sat on the couch.   
  
"Wark!" Pen Pen cried out as he backed up the couch to avoid Shinji. Shinji looked over to Pen Pen as he turned around, and the warm-water penguin seemed to shrug as they both turned to face Asuka.   
  
However, she was nowhere to be found. After a few seconds, the lights in the room went out, making both Shinji and Pen Pen more than a little bit apprehensive. "Umm, Asuka?" Shinji called out into the darkness, unable to see anything. "Asuka, what's going on?" he asked, his arms swinging out in front of him to see what was there.   
  
He only found the beak of a certain penguin who cried out, "Wark!!!" as Shinji inadvertently punched him in the face.   
  
"Sorry." Shinji said softly, reaching out for Pen Pen only to be nipped on the hand. Shinji yelped in pain and pulled his hand back quickly.   
  
"Argh! Will you two shut up?" Asuka's angry voice called from somewhere in the room. "You're ruining everything."   
  
Shinji couldn't see Asuka and couldn't tell where she was by voice alone. However, he knew from experience to hold his tongue rather than face Asuka's wrath. Pen Pen also was quiet. For a few seconds, there was no sound.   
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Asuka's voice called from the hall as a dimmed light slowly turned up. "The most talented person in Tokyo-3, Asuka Langley Sohryu!" There was silence for a few seconds as Shinji and Pen Pen looked on. "This is where you clap, dummkopfs!"   
  
  
XXXX   
  
B-Lo Productions Presents  
Hidden Talents: 2nd Movement  
By B.M. Gang  
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
Shinji and Pen Pen quickly started clapping. Asuka sighed triumphantly and some music came on. It was loud, upbeat, and as a whole… awful music. It sounded like music from the 1980's, sugary sweet and twice as bad for your teeth. After a few moments of the song, Shinji recognized it as being 'Footloose' from the movie of the same name.   
  
Just as Shinji made this realization, Asuka sprung out from the hallway, dancing erratically. Her movements were fluid, yet spontaneous; twirling around in the work out suit she had kept around since her first mission in Japan.   
  
She was selling the dance too. She was all smiles, and looked like something right out of a cheesy movie from the same era. She actually looked like she was truly enjoying herself.   
  
However, that didn't make Shinji and Pen Pen like it any more. Both of them watched, both too fearful to try and stop her, but both not wanting for the torture to continue. Every once in a while, they would exchange a knowing glance. It was torture, plain and simple. There was no other term to describe it.   
  
Thankfully, the performance ended before too long, Asuka bowing deeply in her final pose from the dance. There was a long, uncomfortable silence that for Shinji stretched out forever.   
  
"Well, what did you think?" She finally asked, standing up with that same smug grin on her face that she had had before. She stood there, her hands on her hips for a few seconds as Shinji and Pen Pen again exchanged glances. "Well?" She yelled again, her face showing her aggravation.   
  
"Well…" Shinji began, looking to Pen Pen again, who only shrugged. "It was different." Shinji winced the moment he said it, knowing he had goofed.   
  
"Well what do you know?!" Asuka screamed as she turned and stormed away. "You wouldn't know talent if it slapped you across the face! No one is worthy of a talent as great as Asuka Langley Sohryu!" She finished, as she slammed her door shut, shaking the walls of the apartment.   
  
Shinji sat on the couch for a few moments, completely silent. He slowly reached up and started rubbing the spot where Asuka's hand had stung him and looked over to Pen Pen, who appeared to almost be smirking. "What?" He asked the beleaguered penguin with a scowl on his face.   
  
"Wark."   
  
"What do you know?"  
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
Shinji awoke the next morning with the forcible slam of the front door. He sat up, put on his slippers and then walked out into the rest of the apartment.   
  
There sat Misato, downing a can Yebisu that appeared to be far from her first. "What was that noise?" Shinji asked, scratching his side as he moved towards the toaster.   
  
"That was Asuka." Misato replied after a loud belch. "You know, one of those girl things." she giggled lightly as she grabbed for another beer and popped it open. In the mean time, Shinji's face had turned beet red from embarrassment as he popped two pieces of bread into the toaster.   
  
"What's the matter Shinji?" Misato teased, her voice slightly slurred. "Did you and Asuka have a fight?" she asked as she tossed back another beer. "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehow!" Misato screamed out, before belching again.   
  
Shinji ate quickly and dressed. He looked at his clock and noticed he was running late just as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Misato yelled out from the table just as Shinji entered the room.   
  
"No, don't worry about it." Shinji said lowly, more than a little embarrassed at Misato's current state. He moved quickly, slipping his shoes on as he got to the door to find the smiling faces of Touji and Kensuke.   
  
"Hi Ikari," they said in unison before ducking their heads in, "Hey Misato, we're leaving now!" they yelled in as Misato's head poked around the corner.   
  
"Good morning boys," she said before ducking back in. No matter what condition she was in, Misato still had the tact to not act like a drunken fool in front of Touji and Kensuke, something Shinji deeply appreciated as he dragged his friends out the door and on the way to school.   
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
"I'm not going to do it!" Asuka cried out Hikari walked beside her. "I'm too good for everyone else in that class, especially that baka Shinji."   
  
"Oh please Asuka, I can't be in the Talent Show by myself, I mean, I'd be too embarrassed." Hikari pleaded, but her cries fell on deaf ears.   
  
"No way, absolutely not!" she screamed back as the two girls walked into the classroom. "I'd make everyone look bad." she said more calmly as she sat down in her seat.   
  
"Are you sure Asuka?" Hikari asked one last time as she sat beside her friend.   
  
"Hmph," Asuka replied, "The day I enter the talent show is the day Wondergirl over there acts like a human being," she said, gesturing over to Rei, who was gazing out the window as usual.   
  
Hikari sighed heavily, her heart heavy with self-doubt. She was scared to death of singing on stage, no matter how good everyone told her she was, and having Asuka with her, at the very least to have her backstage with her would be a relief.   
  
Just then, the stooges walked into the room, Touji and Kensuke laughing heavily as Shinji followed them in, his gaze towards the ground, shaking his head lightly. He looked up as he passed the one row to see Asuka seething and staring a hole through him.   
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
Shinji sat in silence throughout class. He found himself having even more trouble than usual keeping his mind on the inanely boring Second Impact lecture. He glanced around the room every so often, taking in everything. Most of the class was simply staring forward, their eyes glazed over.   
  
Asuka, however, was still just as angry as she had been before, her attention darting around the room, her furious gaze settling on Shinji every once in a while, a bitter scowl on her face, a look that Shinji tried to avoid at all cost.   
  
Shinji tried not to think about what had happened before. Eventually his thoughts turned to his act. He was slightly overwhelmed as the music began to move through his head. He quickly reached into his bag and pulled out the staff paper that he had retrieved from his desk the night before, and started to work.   
  
"Mr. Ikari!" A voice called from the front of the room. He looked up from his work to see the entire class standing and staring at him. He looked up and realized he had missed Hikari's order to stand, and he shot up to his feet. As he did so, the class laughed lightly. "Class dismissed." The teacher said solemnly.   
  
"What were you doing Shinji?" Kensuke asked as he moved next to his friend. "What was so important that you made such an ass out of yourself?"   
  
"Oh, it's nothing; I guess I was just daydreaming," he replied as he grasped his score and shuffled it into his case, getting ready to go to lunch. As he did this, a thought hit him. _A cello is good and all, but I need something else._   
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
Asuka ate her lunch hurriedly, all the while brooding over everything that had happened. She wolfed down the sushi, her gaze locked on the back of Shinji's head. That fool wouldn't know talent if it slapped him across the face, which it did. The thought made Asuka laugh a bit to herself, remembering the look on his face as he turned his gaze down, his face red from embarrassment.   
  
"Asuka, what are you looking at?" Hikari said, breaking Asuka's concentration on trying to make Shinji's head explode with her thoughts.   
  
"Nothing, nothing at all," she replied roughly, stuffing the last hunk of food into her mouth.   
  
"Did Shinji do something?" Hikari replied, looking from Shinji to Asuka and back again. She scowled lightly, always looking out for her friend. "Ooh, that Shin-ji!" Hikari said standing and glaring at him from across the courtyard.   
  
Asuka reached up and grabbed Hikari's arm, pulling her back down to her seat. "It's nothing; I can deal with it myself," she finished, rapping up her garbage. "You think that someone as meek as Shinji could get under my…" she stopped, noticing that Shinji was no longer sitting at his table with Kensuke and Touji, who appeared to be arguing over something trivial.   
  
"What's wrong Asuka?" Hikari asked, leaning in closer to her.   
  
"N-nothing." Asuka replied, sitting back on her bench. _Where the hell is that spineless idiot?_ Her eyes scanned back and forth, trying to find the one who was offending her pride, when she noticed him turning around a corner.   
  
_Bingo._   
  
"I have to go take care of something, I'll be back," she rose quickly and darted after him leaving Hikari shaking her head.   
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
Asuka crept along the far wall of the school, approaching the corner uneasily. _I'll get him for sure._ She thought as she turned the corner to see him walking down along the wall. She paced behind him, her eyes keen for any movement, less she need to dive for cover.   
  
Suddenly, Shinji's head popped up. Asuka took a step back, as if looking for cover. She slowly moved towards a tree, ducking behind it when she finally arrived there. He made a quick turn around the next corner, as if inspired by something. _What's over there,_ she thought, trotting out from behind the tree, nearly running after him.   
  
Just as she approached the corner, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. That's where Rei is all the time, she thought, her anger growing again as she approached the corner. She stopped for a minute, hearing Shinji talking, but she couldn't make it out precisely. _Even if he did see you, what would that little wimp do to the great Asuka Langley Sohryu!_   
  
And with that, she took a deep breath and looked around the corner.   
  
  
XXXX   
  
  
"Well, what I mean to say," Shinji spurted out, stumbling over his words. _This is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be._ "Y-you know about that Talent Show thing the principal was talking about, right?" he finished his sentence and let out a sigh of relief.   
  
"Yes." Rei replied shortly, looking up at Shinji. Her voice was cold, but with a touch of intrigue at her fellow pilot's inquiry.   
  
"Well, I was going to play the cello in the Talent Show, and, well…" his voice trailed off as he started staring at his feet.   
  
"Yes?" Rei asked, her voice taking on a curious tone.   
  
"Well, I don't know who else to go to, and we were able to sync up so well before, and, well, I thought that I needed something else, so, um…" Shinji was at a loss again. _Why am I even asking her, I'm not even sure that she can dance or anything!_   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Well, would you like to dance in my act?" Shinji finally got out. He sighed again, happy to have it out there, having got over the uncomfortable hump of asking.   
  
"Why?"   
  
"Um…" _So much for being over the hump._ Shinji was again at a loss for words, but he tried anyways, "Well, it could be fun."   
  
"What does this have to do with our being pilots?" Rei asked him, cocking her head to the side and gazing up at Shinji.   
  
"Well, no, but why does it have to?" Shinji replied relatively quickly.   
  
Asuka, however, had heard enough. _Who does he think he is, and more importantly, who does she think she is! Getting embarrassed is one thing, but having Wondergirl show me up is a whole other matter._   
  
She stormed away from her hiding place, trotting towards the entrance to the school. _There's no way I'm going to let her show me up, if I have to get into Shinji's stupid act myself!_   
  
  
  
To be continued…   
  
Author's Notes:  
I'm having a lot of fun writing this story. It's really different from my usual gambit of highly psychological and really deep and dark fics that I wrote early on. Special thanx goes out to all of those who gave me reviews for the first chapter, and especially to my pre-reader Karina Kineshi for all her help and support!   
Ciao,  
B.M. 


End file.
